Sunday, June 15, 2008

Rare Argento Gems Come to DVD

Hardcore fans of Italian horror maestro Dario Argento have long had the devil's own time collecting the director's entire body of work, mainly because some of the titles were simply unavailable on DVD. But now, fan-favorite distributor Anchor Bay has taken measures to rectify the situation, releasing two of Argento's finest to disc.

This one slipped under the radar a few weeks ago, but both the 1982 giallo classic Tenebrae and the 1985 supernatural chiller Phenomena (a.k.a. Creepers) are now officially obtainable. The latter is particularly notable for featuring the very first starring role of 15-year-old Jennifer Connelly (pre-eyebrow waxing), recommended to Argento by his long-time friend and one-time collaborator Sergio Leone, who had used her the year before in Once Upon a Time in America.

I'll admit I'm not as familiar with Argento's work as I should be, although I'm crazy about Suspiria (who isn't?). But this is definitely a reason for fans of Italian horror to be happy. Now all we need is a boxed set release for Lucio Fulci's Gates of Hell/The Beyond/House by the Cemetery trilogy.

I agree with you on Gates/Beyond/House -=- I have them all in one form or another but they could really use some extended cuts and remastering. But I have always been an Argento fan my favorite for some sick reason is Inferno - I just love in that movie how you get attached to a character and they just keep killing them off - it's great!

Which horror film *should* be remade?

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I've been fascinated with horror ever since my parents let me watch The Exorcist at 8 years old (what were they thinking??) and I ran up to my bed screaming when Linda Blair's eyes rolled into the back of her head.Although it often gets a bad rap from "mainstream" critics and audiences alike, horror has often been the most creative and vibrant movie genre of all, from Nosferatu to Saw. Some of the finest motion pictures ever made are part of the horror genre, including Frankenstein, Psycho, The Shining and my personal all-time favorite, George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.This blog is the culmination of my 25-year love affair with all things blood and guts--so check back here often for news and opinion on the world of horror. And remember...